The new online application is currently only open to single applicants. The gate will open to families later this year.

Permanent residents of Canada can now apply for citizenship online.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has launched a new online tool that allows online citizenship applications to be submitted.

IRCC has already developed this new tool, as part of an initiative to modernize the immigration system. In late 2020, it released the tool to test the ability of the platform.

The new online portal allows applicants to save partially completed applications and resume them at a later time. It also allows users to upload supporting documents, proof of payment, print a PDF, and request a confirmation of receipt.

Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino said his vision for the Canadian immigration system is to be paperless.

The pandemic forced IRCC to begin updating to allow continued immigration amid public health measures. So far, Canada has made the citizenship test available online and has also started holding a virtual citizenship ceremony.

Along with other areas of business, the department has also started conducting virtual landings for newly arrived permanent residents. For immigration applicants, a number of paper-based programs are beginning to shift to digital.